Dracula by Bram Stoker

[Tristan]

Am working through it right now.. Stoker is an extremely skillful writer when it comes to setting an uneasy mood. Marvellous stuff.

[Emmaline]

Damn Keanu Reeves acting badly in my imagination.

 

That's not just in your imagination.

[Steeeeve]

That's not just in your imagination.

 

Haha. I lol'd at that. Reading Catch-22 eh? I have to try that again soon. I failed miserably last time I had a go.

 

I didn't mind Keanu too much while I was reading A Scanner Darkly. He kind of suited the character he played in that so when I read it he was welcome in my brain. But in Dracula his accent was just...not good.

[Kreader]

It's been many years since I've read Dracula. I thought it was some sort of tragic love story. After all Dracula was yearning for his long lost love. I recall Jonathon and Mina but no one else.

[vinay87]

This Vampire sucks the blood of his victims, no matter how righteous or beautiful they are. This Vampire does not symbolise every cliche that has risen since the book's first publication. This Vampire becomes young with time, changes into wolves and bats, controls madmen who eat flies, seduces women and baffles men of science just as well. This Vampire's skin is pale, bereft of life, and, most simply, does not sparkle.

 

Edward Cullen would rue the day he left his coffin if he crossed paths with the Nosferatu himself.

 

Dracula, as we all know (or should I say, don't know till we read it) is a phenomenon. Bram Stoker's style is flawless, the way that he uses diary entries and newspaper clippings is sheer genius. From his time, many vampire stories have come and gone, but none chills the bone as this.

 

If you're like me, you'd know what a vampire is only from movies or cartoons. Or, of course in this day and age, Twilight. I haven't read Twilight, mostly because I refuse to. But when you hear the word Vampire, you do not imagine a twenty-something person with a rockstar's hairdo and sparkly skin. Your mind jumps to the man with pale skin, suave hair combed backwards, red, piercing eyes, sharp fangs and a looming personality. Dracula is all of that and more. He is seductive, smart, cunning. He has had eons to study his prey and his revenge is not something that hurts for a moment.

 

Most movies get things mixed up, but nothing does justice to the original, though they have all establish the Dracula with black hair and no facial hair. Stoker's Dracula ages backwards in the course of the book. And becomes fiercer.

 

Definitely worth a read if you think you know what a Vampire is.

 

Sadly, I'm not the sort to be scared by reading a book. It is unputdownable though.

[Vladd]

There is a thread on this book already

http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6666&highlight=dracula

[Nollaig]

Ta-da! Merged.

[Vanwa]

Ok, so I first picked Dracula up about ten or more years ago. I'm now trying again...

 

I think my reading tastes must have matured nicely over the years, as I am actually getting on with it. I have found though, that it's not ideal before-bed material. As I'm multi-tasking with about 5 or 6 different books at the moment, I'm reading a chapter or so a night. Sleepless nights so far: 4 and counting.

[BookJumper]

What a gripping match: Bram Stoker: 4, Vanwa: 0 !

 

I think Dracula is one of those books that are so Good it is impossible that someone should be destined never to like them, ever; I'm thrilled that you've decided to give it another go, it sounds like this time it's The time so go go go!

[Vanwa]

Well, time for an update. I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat for this one Giu.

 

I picked up Dracula for my one or two chapters last night, and I read over a third before I could finally tear myself away. And today I am putting all other books aside. I am going to finish it.

 

By bedtime tonight, I will be one of those people who can say "Dracula? Yeah I've read that."

[BookJumper]

*dances about happily* see, all it needed was for it to be the right book at the right time. I'm so glad that said time is now, Dracula is one of those books I don't think anyone ever should be deprived of the priviledge of reading.

[Vanwa]

Dracula? Yeah I've read that...

 

I done it! Just this minute in fact. And I'm really glad I gave it another shot. Well Giu, you've done it now. Over the last few months you've made four recommendations of the "You really should read this" kind, and you were right every time.

 

These are:

 

1. Jasper Fforde

2. Hitch-hikers

3. The Book of Lost Things

4. Dracula

 

I now will defer to you when ever I have need of reading material. Be warned.

[BookJumper]

*is suitably warned*

 

The Book of Lost Things can't have been me, surely, unless I came back from the future in a time machine to recommend it to you as I haven't read it myself yet the others were indeed all me though and I am super-duper made up to have been right yet again *hands over a shiny 'Dracula? Yeah I've read that' badge*!

[Vanwa]

I could have sworn it was you... never mind!

 

*Excitedly takes shiny badge and stabs herself in the hurry to put it on!*

[Kylie]

I'm so pleased for you Vanwa. It's one of my favourite books, and it's great to see where the legend began.

[Nicola Booth]

I was about to start Ghostheart by R. J. Ellory but after reading this thread last night, I feel tempted to read Dracula. I think this was listed as one of my classic books that I wanted to read this year! Decisions Decisions

[vinay87]

What a gripping match: Bram Stoker: 4, Vanwa: 0 !

 

I think Dracula is one of those books that are so Good it is impossible that someone should be destined never to like them, ever; I'm thrilled that you've decided to give it another go, it sounds like this time it's The time so go go go!

 

Yeah, Dracula, Les Mis, A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth... sigh it doesn't matter how many editions of the story you read. They're all fantastic!

[Cookie]

I really should re-read this but I have such a lovely copy now I don't want it to get messy! Hopefully I still have my trashed old copy in the house some where so I can read that and keep my pretty on tidy.

[davidr]

I bought a copy of Dracula last month in Whitby having just visited the Abbey on a very cold rainy windswept early May morning. Never having looked at it before I was very surprised to find I share a name with the good Dr John. I am loving it but find the Victorian language, particularly Van Helsing's 'foreign' English a bit heavy going. I found that I couldn't read the last third at night in bed! (what a whimp!). 40 pages to go!

[SandMan]

Just this moment finished reading it, very rewarding. I'm not that interested in vampires, but it certainly delivered!

[Vladd]

Just what would Dracula make of the vampires around today?

[Guest Eliza1]

Bram Stokers Dracula is one of my favourite novels. It's terrifying! I made the choice to read the sequel by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt recently....

[Rawr]

The descriptive sweep of the first half of the novel is creepily charming, there is a definite presence to the prose as if the count himself had penned exactly what he wanted to show you before making his own rather subtle and sober appearance. There are parts where it drags but I suppose adds to the overall package, I love the story, the ending is fantastic too

[BookJumper]

Uh-oh, I've got Dacre's book on my shelf waiting for its turn - what didn't you like about it, Eliza?

[Nollaig]

I imagine the question 'what DID you like about it?' would yield a far shorter answer.

 

It was just terrible. The characters were totally different, the story was ridiculously overdramatic and at points completely gratuitous if not senseless, and the ending was absolutely, completely, and utterly stupid.